__________________________________________________
Call for Papers "Theories of International and Intercultural Communication" International Conference and PhD Workshop Network Intercultural and International Communication Graduate Program "Formations of the Global", University of Mannheim Mannheim (Germany) 29-31 October 2009 __________________________________________________ Conference theme In focusing on international and intercultural communication, the conference addresses one of the most innovative research areas in the field of media and communication studies. It deals with theoretical questions concerning mediated communication crossing national borders or cultural boundaries. However, a closer look reveals that the theoretical basis of this research area is still unclear, heterogeneous, and fragmented. The conference aims at critically discussing different theoretical approaches and traditions and at fostering theoretical integration. Four pivotal theoretical challenges in the field of international and intercultural communication will be addressed in four thematic panels; a fifth panel will be thematically open in order to be able to react to submissions. Panel 1: Disciplinary intersections Even the use of both international and intercultural in the title of the conference refers to different systemic contexts that shape mediated cross-border communication. International brings to mind the political-legal conditions, intercultural more clearly connotes the socio-cultural formations of the communicating entities and content and process of communication. Apart from these connections to political science/law as well as sociology/cultural studies, cross-border communication cannot be understood without a third disciplinary reference point: (media) economics. The globalization of procurement, advertising and markets in the media business on the one hand and communicative problems of global media companies on the other hand constitute important topics that deserve and demand further theorization. Panel 2: Spatial patterns For a long time, research on international and intercultural communication has been characterized by a center-periphery model that emphasizes relations of dependence and domination between various world regions (media imperialism). This has been complemented, however, by models of multipolarity as well as national and regional selfreliance that challenge narrow views of Western influences in the world. Non-Western perspectives on international and intercultural communication come center-stage, which need to be acknowledged as distinct and unique in the first place. This panel, therefore, aims at developing the potential of different de-centered conceptions of the world for theorizing international and intercultural communication. Panel 3: Temporal structures In a temporal perspective, many current diagnoses of international and intercultural communication use concepts like acceleration, synchronicity, as well as culmination or turning points. Global real-time media, particularly the Internet, but also live coverage in transnational news channels, have accelerated cross-border communication to a point where a shared global presence is created in certain instances. But attention structures of cross-border communication are still quite volatile so that a shared presence is not achieved permanently on a global scale but depends on particular focal points, i.e. global media events such as Olympic Games, summits, wars, or disasters. The third panel is thus devoted to theorizing such points of culmination as well as the global real-time media that create and support them. Panel 4: Building theory from comparison A particular challenge of research into international and intercultural communication consists in the parallel existence of at least two, if not three distinct logics of analysis. The logic of international and intercultural comparison is based on the assumption that the entities compared are independent from each other and that the features to be explained can be attributed to structural similarities and differences of these entities. In contrast, approaches focusing on cross-border communication precisely emphasize relations of exchange and influence between the entities, i.e. phenomena that cannot be properly understood by comparison alone. In addition, some recent approaches use the prefix trans instead of inter (as in transnational and transcultural) and thus focus our attention on communicative structures that transcend and subvert existing delineations. A purely comparative logic of inquiry is insufficient here as well. The fourth panel thus seeks answers to the question of how comparative designs contribute to theory-building in the field of international and intercultural communication, and how such designs can be combined and integrated with inter and trans-oriented approaches. Panel 5: Open panel In addition to the thematic panels, submissions can be made that address any aspect of international and intercultural communication from a theory-oriented perspective. Conference program The panels will be supplemented by plenary speeches as well as a panel discussion. The following keynote speakers and/or respondents will participate: - Prof. Dr. Oliver Boyd-Barrett, Professor of Journalism, Bowling Green State University, USA - Prof. Dr. Eytan Gilboa, Professor of Communication and Government, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel - Prof. Dr. Monroe E. Price, Director of the Center for Global Communication Studies, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, USA (not yet confirmed) - Prof. Dr. Daya K. Thussu, Professor of International Communication, University of Westminster, London, UK - Prof. Dr. Leo Van Audenhove, Professor of Communication, Free University, Brussels, Belgium Integrated PhD workshop The conference will be supplemented by a workshop at which PhD students can present their dissertation research in international and intercultural communication without any thematic restrictions imposed. Renowned international scholars will be commenting on each presentation, thus offering a unique opportunity to obtain constructive feedback from experts who would otherwise not be easily available. For PhD students presenting at the workshop some travel funds are available upon request. If you wish to receive such funds, please indicate this on your submission. Submission and selection of papers The deadline of our call for papers for the main conference has now passed. Abstracts for the PhD workshop should be sent to Maria Röder ([email protected]) until July 1, 2009. Submissions can be made in English or German, as the conference will be bilingual. The abstract should not be longer than 8000 characters (including blank spaces). Please add a title page to the abstract containing the name(s) and address(es) of the presenter(s) and the title of the presentation, and make sure you remove all references to the submitter(s) in the rest of the abstract. Please also note on the title page whether you can give your presentation in English, German or both. All submissions will be subjected to anonymous peer-review based on the criteria of originality, relevance, sophistication of theoretical foundation, and clarity of language. Proposals based on empirical work will additionally be rated according to the appropriateness of the methods used. All submitters will be informed by July 24, 2009 about the outcome of the selection process. Organization and contact The conference is organized by the Network Intercultural and International Communication in cooperation with: - the Global Communication and Social Change division of the International Communication Association (ICA) - the International and Intercultural Communication section of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA) - the Young Scholars Network of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA) - the Graduate Program Formations of the Global at the School of Humanities, University of Mannheim, Germany For more information on the conference, the venue as well as travel and hotel details, please see: http://niik2009.uni-mannheim.de/english/startpage/ Mannheim is only a 30-minute train ride from Frankfurt International Airport. Conference chair: Prof. Dr. Hartmut Wessler Conference organization: Maria Röder and Manuel Adolphsen Contact: Maria Röder, MA Department of Media and Communication Studies University of Mannheim L7, 7 D-68131 Mannheim Germany Tel: +49 (0)621 181-2303 Fax: +49 (0)621 181-3114 Email: [email protected] Web: http://niik2009.uni-mannheim.de/english/startpage/ __________________________________________________ InterPhil List Administration: http://interphil.polylog.org Intercultural Philosophy Calendar: http://cal.polylog.org
